May 23

Bank Holiday Playlist

By Ella Miista

With the weather more moody than a teenager camping with her overbearing parents, we needed some nice music to cheer us up. Thankfully things aren't all bad and drowned in rain - we have a three day weekend ahead here in the UK. This is means there will be a lot of dancing, getting ready for dancing and calming down from dancing. That all requires a soundtrack. Here are seven songs we'll be listening to more than once this weekend. TOM VEK - SHERMAN (ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE) Tom Vek takes his time to work on his music. It's three years since this last album, and before then there was a six year break. Luck is out on the 9th of June and judging by its first single Sherman, it's a lot to look forward to. The video is like a Lynchian dream but unlike every other of its kind, only not in the traditional ugh-stop-trying kinda way. It's brilliant. HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR FT. JOHN GRANT - I TRY TO TALK TO YOU We love twerking as much as the next girl but it's refreshing to see when a choreographer is used to tell an actual story. Hercules & Love Affair have a new album coming out next week. Currently we're contemplating whether to go to their album launch later this evening. Judging by this song, maybe we should. KATE TEMPEST - THE BEIGENESS The South London rap/poetry queen Kate Tempest released her debut solo album a few days ago. The Beigeness blows us away with clever lyrics and a bouncy rhythm, but the video where a bearded window cleaner embarks on a journey anything but beige adds a new dimension. M.I.A. & THE PARTYSQUAD - DOUBLE BUBBLE TROUBLE M.I.A. is one of the coolest women alive and this self-directed video just further proves it. Portraying a dystopian future council estate, the video includes 3D printed guns, homemade flashy drones and scribbled graffiti saying '1984 is now' behind her on a wall/ She's not one to churn out album after album, singing gently about broken hearts. M.I.A. is a woman that likes making a statement. ARCADE FIRE - WE EXIST Musically, Arcade Fire can do no wrong. We Exist is a song as good as ever and the video is beautiful just as well. The furore that surrounds it comes from the fact the actor cast as the transgender woman was in fact your regular male actor, rather than someone actually transgender. Both sides have a reason - casting choices versus representation - but while we lean towards representation, it's important debates like this take place. And you know, it is a really good song. DIE ANTWOORD - PITBULL TERRIER Die Antwoord's latest! To be honest, the music isn't that great at all but it reminds a little bit of Prodigy maybe... the video however. It's appalling, right? Grotesque? It would've been definitely been more interesting had it not relied on the stereotype of a mauling pit bull. They're lovely dogs really. Nonetheless, it's an amazing watch. Even the song is OK to listen to. METRONOMY - RESERVOIR Last but certainly not least is Metronomy. The tastes of Miista girls result in a pretty eclectic mix but Metronomy is the one band we'll always agree on. With the jaunty-but-eerie synth sounds and tender yet clever lyrics, they have it all. Reservoir displays it all and finishes it off with the felt tip animation video. Nostalgic but new? We love it.